The Second Knock — Jude the Obscure

Jude comes home from a lecture on ancient history to a silent supper. Sue has turned a woman away and will not eat. She is sure it was Arabella by the light in her eyes. He rakes the fire and reaches the top of the stairs when the same knock comes again. He lifts a sash. Arabella walks the lamp below and says she is in trouble: the Australian would not marry after all, and a sudden responsibility has been sprung on her from Sydney. She asks him down toward the Prince Inn for old time's sake. Sue begs him not to go. He says Sue is not his wife yet either, and Arabella is rather more than she. He goes out in slippers, cannot find her, and comes back for boots because it has begun to rain.

Sue counts fourteen minutes to the inn and back. When he still means to search, she flings her arms round his neck and agrees to be his. She did not mean to. She did not want to marry again. He rebolts the door and plans Saturday banns. In the morning the glow has gone. She puts on a waterproof as a penance and sends up word that a friend from Spring Street has called.

Arabella is still in bed, disappointed it is not Jude, a detached tail of hair hanging on the glass as it did in his time. A telegram arrives for Mrs. Cartlett: the Lambeth publican will stand by the promise. Arabella says she told him she had almost made it up with Jude, and that frightened him. She advises Sue to get the business legally done. As Sue leaves, Arabella asks if Jude will run up to the station. You think not. Well, she will write to him about it. She did not want to write it. She will.